The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has come under heavy criticism, with Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council calling for his removal. According to the group, the EFCC is losing its credibility and has become a tool for political witch-hunts.
In a statement issued by the National President of the group, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the call for Bawa’s removal became necessary given the recent drift of the EFCC from its known credibility. He added that the Igbo group was not surprised given earlier alarms that Bawa was compromised.
The statement further revealed that the EFCC under Bawa has failed to charge Senator Ike Ekweremadu of any crime, yet rushed to mislead a Nigerian court to confiscate all his properties while he was facing charges in the United Kingdom. The group noted that this was just one of the major unholy and sponsored jobs of the EFCC under Bawa.
Nnabuike pointed out that no Chairman of the EFCC has ever come under public scrutiny in such a short period of time, justifying the aphorism “like father, like son.” He added that many staff members have also become objects of ridicule and blamed the chairman’s leadership style for the negative perception of the commission.
The group lamented that the EFCC had become a tool for political witch-hunts and was being used to settle scores rather than fight corruption. They urged President Muhammadu Buhari to purge his government of any ridicule brought upon his avowed anti-corruption stance by Bawa and the EFCC under him.
The group also advised that Bawa should resign, given the weighty allegations against him. However, if he refuses to do so, they called on President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make it one of his first assignments, should he become the next president.
In summary, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council’s call for the removal of EFCC Chairman Abdulrasheed Bawa casts doubt on the commission’s credibility, with reports suggesting it has become a political tool for witch-hunts. It remains to be seen if President Buhari or President-elect Tinubu would act on the call.
